The Georgia State men’s basketball team is predicted to finish second in the Sun Belt Conference by its coaches, according to the preseason poll released by the league on Wednesday.
The Panthers, the defending regular season and tournament champs, received 108 points and two first-place votes, trailing Louisiana-Lafayette, which received 119 points and nine first-place votes.
Three Panthers were voted to the preseason all-conference teams: forward Markus Crider and guard Kevin Ware made the second team, and forward/center Jeremy Hollowell made the third team.
Lafayette’s Shawn Long was named the preseason player of the year.
The Panthers went 25-10 last year and upset third-seeded Baylor in the second round of the NCAA tournament. Gone from that team are starters R.J. Hunter (to the NBA's Celtics), Ryan Harrow, Curtis Washington and Ryann Green.
Georgia State will open the regular season hosting Middle Georgia on Nov. 13 at the GSU Sports Arena.
Preseason Coaches Poll
(First place votes in parenthesis)
Rank Team Points (first-place votes)
1. Louisiana-Lafayette 119 (9)
2. Georgia State 108 (2)
3. Louisiana-Monroe 97
4. Arkansas State 71
5. Little Rock 68
6. Appalachian State 64
7. South Alabama 56
t-8. Texas-Arlington 48
Texas State 48
10. Georgia Southern 28
11. Troy 19
Preseason First Team All-Conference
Anthony Livingston (Arkansas State, junior, forward)
Shawn Long (Louisiana-Lafayette, senior, forward/center)
Ken Williams (South Alabama, junior, guard)
Emani Gant (Texas State, senior, forward)
Wesley Person (Troy, sophomore, guard)
Preseason Second Team All-Conference
Frank Eaves (Appalachian State, senior, guard)
Markus Crider (Georgia State, senior, forward)
Kevin Ware (Georgia State, senior, guard)
Josh Hagins (Arkansas-Little Rock, senior, guard)
Majok Deng (Louisiana-Monroe, senior, forward)
Preseason Third Team All-Conference
Jeremy Hollowell (Georgia State, RS-junior, forward)
Roger Woods (Arkansas-Little Rock, senior, forward)
Devonta Walker (Louisiana- Lafayette, senior, forward)
Jay Wright (Louisiana-Lafayette, junior, guard)
Nick Coppola (Louisiana-Monroe, junior, guard)
Preseason Player of the Year
Shawn Long (Louisiana-Lafayette, senior, forward/center)
